Safety guard for presses

ABSTRACT

A safety guard assembly for presses, especially those having traveling bolsters. The assembly includes pulley and cable means for extending a resilient, flexible, movable guard along a curved path in response to movement of the traveling bolster. A second movable guard, including switch means normally in engagement therewith, is mounted adjacent the first guard such that interposition of an object such as the hand or arm of an operator between the two guards prevents further operation of the press.

United States Patent 191 Smit [ Nov. 19, 1974 SAFETY GUARD FOR PRESSES[75] Inventor: Henry Smit, Kentwood, Mich.

[73] Assignee: Leslie E. Tassell, Grand Rapids,

Mich.

[22] Filed: Nov. 2, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 412,466

[52] US. Cl 192/133, 100/53, 74/615, 74/612, 192/134, 192/131 R [51]Int. Cl. F16d 9/00 [58] Field of Search 192/133, 134, 135, 131 R;100/53; 74/615, 613, 612

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,668,545 5/1928 Boraks74/612 PRESS RAM FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 548,955 lO/1940 GreatBritain ..74/615 927,362 4/1955 Germany 74/615 Primary Examiner-SamuelScott Assistant Examiner-Randall Heald Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Price,Heneveld, Huizenga & Cooper [57] ABSTRACT A safety guard assembly forpresses, especially those having traveling bolsters. The assemblyincludes pulley and cable means for extending a resilient, flexible,movable guard along a curved path in response to movement of thetraveling bolster. A second movable guard, including switch meansnormally in engagement therewith, is mounted adjacent the first guardsuch that interposition of an object such as the hand or arm of anoperator between the two guards prevents further operation of the press.

31 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures FIG.GA

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CONTROL CIRCUIT GUARD CONTACT SWITCH PRESS IIO i i i T SAFETY GUARD FORPRESSES This invention relates to safety guards for presses and, moreparticularly, to safety guards for presses including traveling bolstersin which a guard is moved into and out of a protective position inresponse to movement of the traveling bolster. It further relates toguards which are adapted to prevent further operation of the pressshould an object such as the arm or hand of an operator of the press beforced into contact therewith.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Guards for power presses are very wellknown. Typical prior known guards for presses have included variousmeans for moving the guard away from the working area around the pressarm as well as means for retuming the guard to its protective positionprior to the working cycle of the press. The increased emphasis onindustrial safety standards in recent years has accentuated the need foreffective, efficient press guards.

Certain types of power presses incorporate traveling bolster plateswhich reduce the chances of injury to an operator of the press. Suchtraveling bolsters are moved between a loading position remote from theram of the press, where work pieces are loaded on a die carried by thebolster, anda working position wherein the bolster is beneath the ramand away from the. operator. The provision of efficient guards forpresses including such traveling bolsters has caused several problems.

First, a guard must be capable of completely covering and protecting thework area of a press from outside the normal limits of movement of thetraveling bolster in order to effectively prevent injury to operators.However, the guard must be capable of being withdrawn from such aprotective position in order to allow the operator sufficient freedom ofmovement to load and unload the bolster efficiently. Provision of suchmovable guards which occupy as little space as possible and thereforeare'not extremely bulky has been especially difficult.

Secondly, the guard itself must not operate in a manner which would byitself cause injury to an operator. In this respect, prior known guardshave moved vertically in paths adjacent the position where an operatornormally stands. Accordingly, the risk of the guard striking theoperator during its movement has been great. Also, the mechanism ormeans which operate the guard for movement into its protective positionhave in the past been hazardously exposed. in a manner which alsoexposes a press operator to the possibility of injury.

Thus, there has been a pronounced need for safe, efficient, andeffective guards for presses and, especially presses incorporatingtraveling bolsters, which are designed to prevent the press mechanismand the mechanisms of the guard itself from injurying an operator andyet provide sufficient room for operating the press.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object and purpose of thepresent invention to provide a safety guard assembly for presses, andespecially presses incorporating traveling bolsters, in which the guardis movable between an extended position in which it effectively preventsinjury from both the press and traveling bolster mechanisms and awithdrawn position in which a press operator is provided sufficient roomto load and unload the press and traveling bolster. The movable safetyguard assembly of the present invention incorporates a resilientlyflexible guard which takes little space in its withdrawn position andyet may be moved into a protective position through a curved path awayfrom the press operator thereby preventing the possibility of injuryfrom its own operating mechanism. Further, the movable guard includes asimple operating mechanism which efficiently raises and lowers the guardin response to the movement of the traveling bolster whereby the guardis located in its protective position prior to any working operation ofthe press ram. The present safety guard may also include means forpreventing operation of the press ram should an operators hand, arm, orother extremity be caught and carried by the guard as it is moved intoits protective position.

In the preferred embodiment, the safety guard assembly of the presentinvention includes a flexible, resilient, movable guard. The guard isguided in a curved path from a generally vertical position below thelevel of a traveling bolster on a press to a position above the level ofthe traveling bolster and over the working area of the press generallybetween the ram and the press operator. The assembly includes a cableand pulley means in which the cable is connected to the travelingbolster such that when the bolster is moved beneath the: press ram, themovable guard is simultaneously pulled and guided upwardly to itsprotective position.

The guard, which can be adapted for use on other than traveling bolstertype presses, preferably includes a flexible, tambour-like panel havinga plurality of'elongated, rigid members flexibly secured in parallelrelation to one another. Such flexibility allows movement of the guardthrough a curved path to its protective position. The flexibilityfurther allows the guard to be mounted in a minimum of space on thepress.

A separate-feature of the invention is the provision of a second movableguard adjacent the upper edgeof the first guard when the latter is inthe extended position. Switch-type contact means are provided inengagement with the second guard such that if the first guard catchesand carries the hand or'arm of an operator or" another object intocontact with the second guard, the second guard will be moved out ofcontact with the" switch thereby cutting off power to and preventingactuation of the press ram.

These and other objects, advantages, purposes, and features of theinvention will become more apparent from a study of the followingdescription taken" in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the safety guard assembly incorporatedin a typical power'press-havingat traveling bolster;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, perspective view, with por tions broken away,schematically illustrating the oper ating mechanisms of the safety guardassembly;

FIG. 3 is a broken, sectional side elevation of the" safety guardassembly taken along plane III-III of FIG;

FIG. 4 is an end elevation of a portion of the operat-" ing mechanismand guard assembly taken along. plane:

IVIV of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, broken, side elevation of the movable safetyguard;

FIG. 6A is a schematic illustration of an alternate curved path throughwhich the movable guard may be guided;

FIG. 6B is a schematic illustration of another alternative path throughwhich the movable guard may be guided;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary, perspective view of the safety guard assemblyillustrating the movement of the second movable guard; and

FIG. 8 is a schematic electrical diagram of the operation of the switchmeans associated with the second movable guard.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings ingreater detail, FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate the safety guard assembly 10 ofthe present invention mounted on a typical power press 12 incorporatinga traveling bolster 14. The traveling bolster assembly is of the typedisclosed in this inventors copending U.S. Pat. application entitledSafety Apparatus For Presses, Ser. No. 263,147, filed June 15, I972,invented by Henry Smit, the disclosure of which is incorporated byreference herein. As is best seen in FIG. 2, the traveling bolster ismounted for movement over the bed of the press 12 between a loadingposition A and a working position B. At loading position A, the operatorof the press loads materials on a die positioned on the bolster.Following the loading operation, the traveling bolster is moved viafluid cylinders 16 to working position B beneath and in alignment withthe ram 18 of the press 12. The fluid cylinders 16 and other operatingmechanisms for the traveling bolster are located in housings 20 oneither side of the bolster 14. Palm switches 22 are located on the endsof the housings 20 in the operator position remote from the press ram.Switches 22 are connected such that both must be actuated simultaneouslyto operate the bolster and press, thereby preventing the operator fromreaching beneath the ram when the press is operated.

The safety guard assembly 10 includes a movable guard 24 having a rigidpanel 25 and a flexible panel 26 mounted generally between the standingposition of an operator and the forwardmost or loading position A of thetraveling bolster. The guard 24 is raised via a pulley and cable means28 secured to the traveling bolster. The guard is moved between awithdrawn or retracted position C (FIGS. 1, 2 and 3) generally below thelevel of a traveling bolster to a raised or extended position D (FIG. 3and phantom lines in FIG. 1) generally above and over the travelingbolster. A pivotal guard 100 is positioned adjacent the extendedposition of guard 24 to prevent further operation of the press assemblyshould a foreign object propelled by guard 24 pivot it out of itsnormal, horizontal position. A releasable, stationary guard 30 (shownbroken away in FIG. 1) may be positioned beyond the lowered or withdrawnposition of the guard 24 to provide further safety for the operator.Additional stationary guards 32 and 34 (FIGS. 1 and 3) are positionedalong the side boundaries of the working area of the press and over theremaining upper portion of the working area beyond the guards includedin the present safety guard assembly 10. Stationary guards 34 includewire mesh screening for protection of the operator while guards 43include substantially vertical, spaced bars. Accordingly, when thesafety guard of the present invention is raised to its extended positionD, the working area around both the press ram and the traveling bolsteris completely enclosed for the operators safety.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 through 5, the guard 24 is mounted for slidingmovement between its extended and retracted positions between a pair ofparallel channels or tracks 36. The channels have flanges 37 extendinginwardly and forming openings into which the opposite edge of the guardextend. The flanges restrain the guard from moving perpendicularly withrespect to the direction of extension of the channels. That is, theguard is restrained from moving in a direction normal or transverse tothe planes which are tangential to the curved tracks at points along thelength of the tracks. The lower portions of the tracks extendsubstantially vertically downwardly from the top level of housing 20. Abar 39 is mounted between the bottoms of the tracks to space them apartand to limit the downward movement of the guard. The upper portions ofthe tracks curve inwardly toward the press ram in parallel curved pathsto a level well above the bed of the press. Triangular shaped guards 38are secured via suitable securing means to the top of housing 20 andextend thereabove to help support tracks 36 above the working area.Thus, since guard 24 is moved in curved path away from the operatortoward the press ram as it is being raised, risk of injury is reducedsince the guard will not strike the operator even if he or she isleaning over the press bed.

The guard 24 includes a rigid panel 25 as well as the resilient,flexible, tambour-like panel 26 secured to the top edge thereof. Thetambour-like portion 26 includes a plurality of elongated, cylindrical,steel tubes 40 each forming a rigid member extending between the twotracks 36. The several rigid members 40 are secured parallel to oneanother and in lateral alignment by a pair of flexible wires or cables42. Each cable 42 extends diametrically through suitable aperturesadjacent one end of each of the rigid tubes 40 as is best seen in FIGS.4 and 5.

An elongated capping plate 44 is secured over the final tube 40 by asecuring member 46 attached to one end of the cable 42, while anothersecuring member 48 is secured on the opposite end of the cable inabutment with the upper flange of the rigid panel25 thereby holding theseveral rigid tubes in their parallel, aligned relationship. In order tospace the rigid tubes 40 slightly apart and to prevent them fromscraping against one another during movement, flexible, resilient rings50, which are preferably sections of a suitably sized rubber hose, tubeor the like, are slid over every other one of the rigid tubes 40adjacent either end and at the center thereof.

The several rigid tubes 40 are slidably mounted between tracks 36 vialubricious plastic cylindrical inserts 52 press fitted in both ends ofeach tube such that they all extend into the channels provided in thetracks 36. Similarly, the rigid panel 25 is slidably mounted in the sametracks by plastic cylindrical members 54 secured by suitable recessedbolts or other securing means 55 at each of the four corners of therigid panel. Inserts and members 52 and 54 are preferably formed from along-wearing, tough, resilient durable. lubricious plastic such as nylonor the like.

As will now be apparent, the guard 24 may be raised and lowered intracks 36 with the flexible, resilient, tambour-like panel 26 followingthe prescribed curvature of the tracks above the level of the bolster14. The rigid panel 25 is moved to the top of the generally verticalportion of the tracks 36 but generally moves no farther than the levelof the top of the housing as shown in FIG. 3. The tambour-like panel ofthe guard 24 is rigid in generally all dimensions except one which isgenerally transverse to the longitudinal axes of each of the severalelongated rigid tubes. That one flexible dimension allows thetambour-like panel to follow the curvature of the tracks 36 therebyproviding the advantage of allowing the guard to be designed to fit anydesired path of movement. Alternative curved paths of movement are shownin FIGS. 6A and 6B. Hence, the guard may be moved first vertically, thenhorizontally, and then vertically again as in FIG. 6A. The guard may bemoved vertically and then horizontally as in FIG. 6B. As is apparent tothose skilled in the art, the guard may also be mounted with the rigidmembers extending substantially vertically or at other angles such thatthe guard is moved horizontally around the working area of the pressinstead of up and over that working area as in the preferred embodiment.Accordingly, the guard can be mounted on virtually any press.

Movement of the guard 24 between its extended and retracted positions isaccomplished in a preferred embodiment by a pulley and cable means 28best seen in FIGS. 3 and 4. The pulley and cable means 28 only oneportion which is illustrated, includes a pair of actuating cables 56each secured at one end 60 to a portion of the traveling bolster 14 andat their opposite ends 62 to opposite sides of the bottom of the movableguard 24. The bolster ends 60 of cables 56 are secured to brackets 64mounted on the bottom of bolster arm 66 which, in turn, is secured tothe front of the traveling bolster l4. Removable retaining bolts or pins68 are passed through the opposing sides of the brackets 64 while thecable is looped therearound with their free ends secured to themselvesby clamps 70.

Similarly, the opposite ends 62 of cables 56 are secured to brackets 72welded to a mounting plate 74 extending at right angles from and acrossthe entire bottom of rigid panel 25. Plates 74 are braced by gussets 75for additional strength. Removable retaining bolts or pins 76 are passedthrough the opposing sides of brackets 72 with the ends 62 of cables 56looped therearound and clamped to themselves by clamps 78.

Cables 56 are passed over pulleys 80 intermediate their ends, thepulleys being secured on suitable bearings on axle bolts 82 between theopposing sides of brackets 84 welded to the sides of housings 20.Accordingly, as the traveling bolster 14 moves between its loading andworking positions A and B as shown in phantom and solid, respectively,in FIG. 3, the movable guard 24 is raised to its extended position bythe corresponding movement of the cable which transfers the motion ofthe traveling bolster to the guard. The guard, in the embodimentillustrated is returned to its retracted position by gravity onwithdrawal of the bolster, the latter movement providing the necessaryslacken ing of cable 56. Springs or a closed loop cable arrangementmaybe utilized, if necessary, to assist in this retraction. The use of arelatively heavy rigid panel facilitates return of the guard to itswithdrawn position without jamming.

In order to stop the guard in its raised position and prevent it fromslamming against the supporting mechanisms of the traveling bolster,spring-biased abutment blocks or shock absorbers 86 are secured to themounting plate 74 adjacent the pulley and cable mechanisms near eitherlateral edge of rigid panel 25. The abutment blocks extend substantiallyvertically upwardly and include elongated bolts 88 extending upwardlythrough blocks 90 and into abutment blocks 92. Springs are mountedbetween blocks 90 and 92 biasing blocks 92 away from blocks 90. When theguard 24 is raised via the pulley or cable means 28, blocks 92 engagethe undersides of the rails 15 supporting traveling bolster 14 therebycompressing springs 94. The resistance of the springs stops and absorbsthe motion of the guard as it reaches its raised position.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 3, and 7, a second movable guard is mountedadjacent the upper edge of the guard 24 when it is in its extendedposition D. Guard 100 comprises a rigid, rectangular framework 102including a resilient, wire mesh screen or the like mounted between thesides of the framework. The guard 100 is pivotally mounted in agenerally horizontal position between the removable guard 34 and theupper limit of the guard 24 in its extended position. Stub axles on thelateral edges of the framework provide axially aligned pivot points 106and 108 and are spaced rearwardly of the center of each of the lateralsides of the framework 102 such that the guard is slightly off-balance.The guard 100 may be removed by lifting it vertically such that the stubaxles slide out of supporting brackets 107 and 109 respectively. Thisunbalanced mounting causes the front bar 103 to be pivoted downwardlyinto contact with the plunger-type, electrical switch 110 which supportsthe guard 100 in its horizontal position. Switch 110 is a normally openswitch which is held closed by the weight of the guard 100 pressingthereagainst.

As will now be appreciated, should any object such as the hand or arm ofan operator or a tool or other similar object be caught and carried bythe upper edge of the guard 24 into contact with guard 100 as guard 24is being raised, the movement of guard 24 into its extended positionwill force the object to pivot guard 100 out of its horizontal positionas shown by the phantom lines in FIGS. 3 and 7. Pivotal movement ofguard 100 thereby moves the guard out of contact with and closes switch110.

As is shown schematically in FIG. 8, the switch 110 is electricallypositioned in the control circuit intermediate the control circuit forthe traveling bolster and that of the press control circuit.Accordingly, when palm switches 22 are depressed to begin operation ofthe traveling bolster, the traveling bolster will move into its workingposition B beneath the press ram and will simultaneously move the guard24 into its extended position D. Should a foreign object be interposedbetween the guard 24 and guard 100 in the manner described above, guard100 will be pivoted out of its horizontal position thereby releasing andopening switch 1 l0 and preventing the press control circuit fromactuating movement of the press ram through its working cycle. Thus, thesecond guard 100 works in conjunction with the movable guard 24 toprevent further operation of the press should any object, and especiallythe hand or arm of an operator, force guard 100 away from movable guard24 in its extended position.

As will now be understood, the present safety guard apparatus may beadapted for use with any press to cover the working area thereof.However, it is especially useful for presses including traveling bolsterassemblies such that it can be actuated directly in response to themovement of the traveling bolster. It includes a tambour-like, flexible,panel which can be adapted to follow any desired path and can be mountedsuch that it is extendable either vertically, horizontally or at otherangles. Further, the mechanisms adapted to extend and retract the guardare themselves housed and protected from injuring an operator of thepress. Finally, pivotal guard 100 provides an effective means forpreventing operation of the press should any foreign object, includingan extremity of an operator, not be completely removed from the workingarea as guard 24 reaches its extended position.

While several forms of the invention have been shown and described,other forms will now be apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore,it will be understood that the embodiments shown in the drawings anddescribed above are merely for illustrative purposes, and are notintended to limit the scope of the invention which is defined by theclaims which follow.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property orprivilege is claimed are defined as follows:

l. A safety guard for presses comprising a tambourlike panel including aplurality of elongated, rigid members; flexible means for securing saidrigid members adjacent and parallel to one another; and means formovably securing said guard to a press.

2. The safety guard of claim 1 wherein said rigid members each have alongitudinal axis, said axes of all said rigid members being parallel toone another, said resilient, flexible means extending generallytransverse to said longitudinal axes of said rigid members.

3. The safety guard of claim 2 wherein said flexible means includes aflexible wire and securing means on either end of said wire for holdingsaid members together along said wire.

4. Thesafety guard of claim 1 wherein said rigid members are spacedslightly apart by resilient members secured thereto.

5. The safety guard of claim 1 wherein said means for movably securingsaid guard include means on said rigid members for engaging means forguiding the movement of said guard.

6. The safety guard of claim 5 wherein said rigid members each includean elongated cylinder; said resilient means including a resilientflexible wire and securing means on either end of said wire for holdingsaid members together along said wire; said means for movably securingsaid guard including lubricious, plastic cylinders extending from eitherend of said elongated cylinders, said lubricious plastic cylindersadapted to slidingly engage tracks adjacent both ends of said pluralityof elongated cylinders for guiding said guard for movement in apredetermined path.

7. The safety guard of claim 6 wherein every other of said elongatedcylinders includes a resilient ring extending therearound and spacingsaid elongated cylinders, slightly apart.

8. A safety guard assembly for presses comprising a movable guard; meansfor guiding the movement of said guard between an extended positionwherein said guard covers at least a portion of the working area of saidpress and a retracted position in which said guard is withdrawn fromsaid covering position; and means for moving said guard between saidextended and retracted positions; said guard including a tambour-likepanel which is flexible in one dimension but which is rigid in theremaining dimensions whereby the guard may be extended in apredetermined path and will obstruct the passage of articlestherethrough at points along said path.

9. The safety guard assembly of claim 8 wherein said means for guidingthe movement of said guard include track means located adjacent opposingedges of said movable guard.

10. The safety guard assembly of claim 8 wherein said means for movingsaid guard include a pulley and cable means secured between one portionof said movable guard and a traveling bolster included on the press, thebolster being movable between loading and working positions remote fromand in alignment with the ram on the press whereby movement of thetraveling bolster causes said movable guard to be extended and retractedalong said predetermined path.

11. The safety guard assembly of claim 8 wherein said tambour-like panelincludes a plurality of parallel, elongated rigid members each having alongitudinal axis; and flexible means for securing said rigid memberstogether; said one dimension in which said panel is flexible beinggenerally transverse to said longitudinal axes of said rigid members.

12. The safety guard assembly of claim 11 wherein said elongated rigidmembers each comprise a cylinder; said flexible means extendingdiametrically through each of said cylinders.

13. The safety guard assembly of claim 12 wherein said cylinderscomprise hollow tubes; every other one of said tubes including at leastone resilient ring therearound and spacing said tubes slightly apart;said tubes further including lubricious, plastic, cylindrical inserts inthe ends thereof for engaging tracks adjacent opposing edges of saidmovable guard; said flexible means comprising at least one wire havingsecuring means on either end thereof for holding said tubes together.

14. A safety guard assembly for a power press having a travelingbolster, which bolster is adapted to move between a loading positionremote from the ram of the press and a working position beneath thepress ram, said assembly comprising a safety guard mounted for movementgenerally in the area between the loading position of the bolster andthe position of an operator who operates said press and bolster whilestanding; pulley and cable means for moving said guard in response tothe movement of the bolster between its loading and working positionsfrom a first position wherein said guard is withdrawn from between saidloading and operator positions and a second position wherein said guardextends between said loading and operator positions.

15. The safety guard assembly of claim 14 including track means forguiding the movement of said guard between said first and secondpositions.

16. The safety guard assembly of claim 15 wherein said guard includes aflexible portion which can flex in one dimension; said track meansextending in parallel, curved paths adjacent opposing edges of saidguard whereby said guard is oriented generally vertically in said firstposition and is oriented generally at an angle with the vertical in saidsecond position.

17. The safety guard assembly of claim 15 wherein said track meansextend generally from a level generally below the level of the travelingbolster to a level generally above the bolster level.

18. The safety guard assembly of claim 14 wherein said pulley and cablemeans include at least one pulley located adjacent the loading positionof the bolster and a flexible cable extending over said pulley; one endof said cable being connected to a portion of the bolster and the otherend connected to securing means at the bottom of said guard.

19. The safety guard assembly of claim 18 wherein said pulley is locatedbelow the level of said bolster.

20. The safety guard of claim 19 including two pulleys each positionedbelow the level of said bolster; one of said pulleys located adjacenteither lateral edge of said guard; a flexible cable extending over eachof said pulleys; said cables being connected between portions of saidbolster adjacent either lateral edge thereof and portions of said guardadjacent either lateral edge near the bottom thereof.

21. The safety guard assembly of claim 18 wherein said guard includesbiased abutment means for engaging a stationary abutment in said firstposition of said guard.

22. The safety guard assembly of claim 14 including a guard separatefrom said movable guard; means for movably mounting said separate guardfor movement in a position adjacent an edge of said movable guard insaid second position thereof; contact means for engaging said separateguard which prevent operation of the press ram when said separate guardis moved out of contact with said contact means.

23. The safety guard assembly of claim 22 wherein said mounting meansfor said separate guard include means for pivotally mounting saidseparate guard generally horizontally adjacent an upper edge of saidmovable guard such that one edge of said separate guard is immediatelyadjacent said upper edge of said movable guard in said second positionof said movable guard; said contact means including a switch means forcutting off power to. the means which actuate the press ram when saidseparate guard is pivoted out of contact therewith.

24. The safety guard assembly of claim 23 wherein said separate guardincludes a rigid framework and a screen mounted on said framework.

25. A safety guard assembly for presses comprising a first movable guardmeans and a second movable guard means; means for mounting said firstguard means for movement between an extended position generally betweenthe location of an operator in position to operate the press and the ramof the press and a retracted position withdrawn from between theoperator location and press ram; means for mounting said second guardmeans for movement adjacent said first guard means in said extendedposition; means for moving said first guard in response to operation ofthe press; and contact means engaging said second guard means forpreventing operation of the press when an object is interposed betweensaid first guard means and said second guard means when said first guardmeans is extended whereby said second guard means is moved out ofengagement with said contact means.

26. The safety guard assembly of claim 25 wherein said first guardincludes flexible panel means for enabling said guard to be moved in acurved path.

27. The safety guard assembly of claim 25 wherein said second guardincludes a rigid framework mounted for pivotal movement about agenerally horizontal pivot axis; said contact means including a switchmeans for cutting off power to the means which actuate the press ramwhen said framework of said second guard means is pivoted out ofengagement therewith.

28. A safety guard assembly for presses comprising a movable guardhaving a flexible panel; curvilinear guideways for guiding movement ofsaid movable guard between a first position wherein said guard extendsgenerally between the ram area of a press and the location of anoperator in position to operate the press and a second position whereinsaid guard is withdrawn from said first position, said guideways curvingaway from the position of the operator and including means forrestraining said movable guard from movement in directions generallytransverse to the planes which are tangential to the guideways at thevarious points along the length of said guideways; means for moving saidguard along said guideways; and means responsive to activation of thepress for moving said guard along said guideways between said first andsecond positions.

29. The safety guard assembly of claim 28 wherein said flexible panel isa tambour-like panel including a plurality of elongated rigid membersflexibly secured in parallel relation to one another.

30. The safety guard of claim 28 wherein said guideways include a pairof parallel, curved channels having flanges extending along the lengththereof and defining an opening in each facing toward the oppositechannel; said movable guard extending into said openings and betweensaid channels; said restraining means including said flanges on saidchannels.

31. The safety guard assembly of claim 28 wherein said means responsiveto activation of the press for moving said guard include pulley andcable means connecting said guard with a portion of the press which ismoved during the working cycle of the press; said means for moving saidguard including securing means for attaching a cable from said pulleyand cable means to said guard.

1. A safety guard for presses comprising a tambour-like panel includinga plurality of elongated, rigid members; flexible means for securingsaid rigid members adjacent and parallel to one another; and means formovably securing said guard to a press.
 2. The safety guard of claim 1wherein said rigid members each have a longitudinal axis, said axes ofall said rigid members being parallel to one another, said resilient,flexible means extending generally transverse to said longitudinal axesof said rigid members.
 3. The safety guard of claim 2 wherein saidflexible means includes a flexible wire and securing means on either endof said wire for holding said members together along said wire.
 4. Thesafety guard of claim 1 wherein said rigid members are spaced slightlyapart by resilient members secured thereto.
 5. The safety guard of claim1 wherein said means for movably securing said guard include means onsaid rigid members for engaging means for guiding the movement of saidguard.
 6. The safety guard of claim 5 wherein said rigid members eachinclude an elongated cylinder; said resilient meAns including aresilient flexible wire and securing means on either end of said wirefor holding said members together along said wire; said means formovably securing said guard including lubricious, plastic cylindersextending from either end of said elongated cylinders, said lubriciousplastic cylinders adapted to slidingly engage tracks adjacent both endsof said plurality of elongated cylinders for guiding said guard formovement in a predetermined path.
 7. The safety guard of claim 6 whereinevery other of said elongated cylinders includes a resilient ringextending therearound and spacing said elongated cylinders slightlyapart.
 8. A safety guard assembly for presses comprising a movableguard; means for guiding the movement of said guard between an extendedposition wherein said guard covers at least a portion of the workingarea of said press and a retracted position in which said guard iswithdrawn from said covering position; and means for moving said guardbetween said extended and retracted positions; said guard including atambour-like panel which is flexible in one dimension but which is rigidin the remaining dimensions whereby the guard may be extended in apredetermined path and will obstruct the passage of articlestherethrough at points along said path.
 9. The safety guard assembly ofclaim 8 wherein said means for guiding the movement of said guardinclude track means located adjacent opposing edges of said movableguard.
 10. The safety guard assembly of claim 8 wherein said means formoving said guard include a pulley and cable means secured between oneportion of said movable guard and a traveling bolster included on thepress, the bolster being movable between loading and working positionsremote from and in alignment with the ram on the press whereby movementof the traveling bolster causes said movable guard to be extended andretracted along said predetermined path.
 11. The safety guard assemblyof claim 8 wherein said tambour-like panel includes a plurality ofparallel, elongated rigid members each having a longitudinal axis; andflexible means for securing said rigid members together; said onedimension in which said panel is flexible being generally transverse tosaid longitudinal axes of said rigid members.
 12. The safety guardassembly of claim 11 wherein said elongated rigid members each comprisea cylinder; said flexible means extending diametrically through each ofsaid cylinders.
 13. The safety guard assembly of claim 12 wherein saidcylinders comprise hollow tubes; every other one of said tubes includingat least one resilient ring therearound and spacing said tubes slightlyapart; said tubes further including lubricious, plastic, cylindricalinserts in the ends thereof for engaging tracks adjacent opposing edgesof said movable guard; said flexible means comprising at least one wirehaving securing means on either end thereof for holding said tubestogether.
 14. A safety guard assembly for a power press having atraveling bolster, which bolster is adapted to move between a loadingposition remote from the ram of the press and a working position beneaththe press ram, said assembly comprising a safety guard mounted formovement generally in the area between the loading position of thebolster and the position of an operator who operates said press andbolster while standing; pulley and cable means for moving said guard inresponse to the movement of the bolster between its loading and workingpositions from a first position wherein said guard is withdrawn frombetween said loading and operator positions and a second positionwherein said guard extends between said loading and operator positions.15. The safety guard assembly of claim 14 including track means forguiding the movement of said guard between said first and secondpositions.
 16. The safety guard assembly of claim 15 wherein said guardincludes a flexible portion which can flex in one dimension; said trackmeans extending in parallel, curved paths adjaceNt opposing edges ofsaid guard whereby said guard is oriented generally vertically in saidfirst position and is oriented generally at an angle with the verticalin said second position.
 17. The safety guard assembly of claim 15wherein said track means extend generally from a level generally belowthe level of the traveling bolster to a level generally above thebolster level.
 18. The safety guard assembly of claim 14 wherein saidpulley and cable means include at least one pulley located adjacent theloading position of the bolster and a flexible cable extending over saidpulley; one end of said cable being connected to a portion of thebolster and the other end connected to securing means at the bottom ofsaid guard.
 19. The safety guard assembly of claim 18 wherein saidpulley is located below the level of said bolster.
 20. The safety guardof claim 19 including two pulleys each positioned below the level ofsaid bolster; one of said pulleys located adjacent either lateral edgeof said guard; a flexible cable extending over each of said pulleys;said cables being connected between portions of said bolster adjacenteither lateral edge thereof and portions of said guard adjacent eitherlateral edge near the bottom thereof.
 21. The safety guard assembly ofclaim 18 wherein said guard includes biased abutment means for engaginga stationary abutment in said first position of said guard.
 22. Thesafety guard assembly of claim 14 including a guard separate from saidmovable guard; means for movably mounting said separate guard formovement in a position adjacent an edge of said movable guard in saidsecond position thereof; contact means for engaging said separate guardwhich prevent operation of the press ram when said separate guard ismoved out of contact with said contact means.
 23. The safety guardassembly of claim 22 wherein said mounting means for said separate guardinclude means for pivotally mounting said separate guard generallyhorizontally adjacent an upper edge of said movable guard such that oneedge of said separate guard is immediately adjacent said upper edge ofsaid movable guard in said second position of said movable guard; saidcontact means including a switch means for cutting off power to themeans which actuate the press ram when said separate guard is pivotedout of contact therewith.
 24. The safety guard assembly of claim 23wherein said separate guard includes a rigid framework and a screenmounted on said framework.
 25. A safety guard assembly for pressescomprising a first movable guard means and a second movable guard means;means for mounting said first guard means for movement between anextended position generally between the location of an operator inposition to operate the press and the ram of the press and a retractedposition withdrawn from between the operator location and press ram;means for mounting said second guard means for movement adjacent saidfirst guard means in said extended position; means for moving said firstguard in response to operation of the press; and contact means engagingsaid second guard means for preventing operation of the press when anobject is interposed between said first guard means and said secondguard means when said first guard means is extended whereby said secondguard means is moved out of engagement with said contact means.
 26. Thesafety guard assembly of claim 25 wherein said first guard includesflexible panel means for enabling said guard to be moved in a curvedpath.
 27. The safety guard assembly of claim 25 wherein said secondguard includes a rigid framework mounted for pivotal movement about agenerally horizontal pivot axis; said contact means including a switchmeans for cutting off power to the means which actuate the press ramwhen said framework of said second guard means is pivoted out ofengagement therewith.
 28. A safety guard assembly for presses comprisinga movable guard having a flexible panel; curvilinear guideways forguiding movement of Said movable guard between a first position whereinsaid guard extends generally between the ram area of a press and thelocation of an operator in position to operate the press and a secondposition wherein said guard is withdrawn from said first position, saidguideways curving away from the position of the operator and includingmeans for restraining said movable guard from movement in directionsgenerally transverse to the planes which are tangential to the guidewaysat the various points along the length of said guideways; means formoving said guard along said guideways; and means responsive toactivation of the press for moving said guard along said guidewaysbetween said first and second positions.
 29. The safety guard assemblyof claim 28 wherein said flexible panel is a tambour-like panelincluding a plurality of elongated rigid members flexibly secured inparallel relation to one another.
 30. The safety guard of claim 28wherein said guideways include a pair of parallel, curved channelshaving flanges extending along the length thereof and defining anopening in each facing toward the opposite channel; said movable guardextending into said openings and between said channels; said restrainingmeans including said flanges on said channels.
 31. The safety guardassembly of claim 28 wherein said means responsive to activation of thepress for moving said guard include pulley and cable means connectingsaid guard with a portion of the press which is moved during the workingcycle of the press; said means for moving said guard including securingmeans for attaching a cable from said pulley and cable means to saidguard.